

How to Connect GoPro to a TV: 5 Easy Ways to Playback Videos

GoPro Tutorials

So you have some great GoPro footage and it's time to show it off. Here are 5 ways to connect GoPro to a TV and watch your videos. They range from wired to wireless connections. Most include gear that you already have on hand.

how to watch gopro videos on tv

5 Ways to Play GoPro Videos on Your TV

While it's okay to review footage on your GoPro camera, it can be a little hard to share with friends. In this post, you'll learn how to watch your GoPro videos on your TV.

1. HDMI Connect to Play GoPro Videos on TV

Probably the simplest way to connect your GoPro to a TV is with an HDMI cable. The only thing you'll need is a Micro HDMI to HDMI cable adapter, like this one.

Of course, you'll also need a TV with an HDMI input – which is just about every television made in the last 20 years. Don't forget to begin with a fully charged battery.

  1. Connect your GoPro camera to your TV using a Micro HDMI to HDMI adapter.
  2. Plug the HDMI cable into your TV.
  3. Turn on your TV and then your GoPro.
  4. Select the correct HDMI input on your TV. You will now see a live preview from your camera.
  5. On your GoPro, navigate to the Play (Playback, Player) mode.

You can now view and playback your videos and photos on your television.

how to view gopro videos

Which GoPro cameras connect via HDMI? Basically, any model that has a micro HDMI output. These include the numbered Hero Black models: Hero4 Black through Hero7 Black.

  1. Hero4 Black
  2. Hero5 Black
  3. Hero6 Black
  4. Hero7 Black
  5. Hero8 Black: Please note that the Hero8 Black does not come with a micro HDMI output. For this function, you'll need to purchase the Media Mod.
how to play gopro on tv

2. Wirelessly Watch GoPro on TV: Screen Mirroring

Wireless is best. And thanks to screencasting and mirroring, you can watch your GoPro footage on your TV – without wires.

There are two ways to screen cast GoPro footage:

  1. Upload footage to your computer or laptop. Then cast it (mirror it) to your screen using Apple AirPlay or Google Cast (Chromecast). Here's how to connect your GoPro to your computer.
  2. Cast directly from your mobile device.

Which GoPro cameras connect via this wireless method? Because the camera isn't actually connecting directly, but via a computer or phone, the specific GoPro model isn't that important.

The limitation actually comes in with your computer or phone. It will need to have the processing power to handle casting high resolution videos wirelessly. And it will need the necessary program or app to mirror to your smart TV.

Media Server: Another way to wirelessly cast to your TV is by setting up a media server. To do this, you'll need to pick up a media server program like Plex or PlayOn. This is a powerful option – but can take a little tech ability to setup. And some time.

3. USB Playback of GoPro Videos (Best for 4K)

This can be done in a few ways. The first option requires a computer. The second method is faster and doesn't require a computer.

  1. Copy your GoPro footage from your camera to a USB flash drive. This will probably be done with a computer. Insert the drive into your TV's USB port.
  2. Remove the microSD card from your camera and insert it into a USB adapter, like this one by SanDisk. Then insert that into your TV's USB port.

To watch your videos in 4K, make sure that you use a USB 3.0 flash drive, like this huge one by Samsung. The older USB 2.0 can't handle that video resolution.

What cameras connect via USB? The beauty of this method is that it doesn't matter which camera you have. Just transfer the files to your USB drive and insert that into the TV.

4. SD Card for Viewing GoPro Footage

This is similar to the previous method. But you don't need a computer for this option.

  1. Remove your microSD card from your camera. Insert it into an SD card adapter or a microSD card reader (like from the previous method).
  2. Then insert the card adapter into your TV. Look for the SD Card label. Navigate your TV menu to the SD card option and then enjoy watching your adventures on your huge screen.

The microSD card adapter costs just a couple of dollars. In fact, it's worth checking your gear bag – many microSD cards ship with a microSD to SD card adapter. I have a handful of them around.

Which GoPro cameras connect via SD cards? Like the previous method, it doesn't matter which GoPro model you have. This is because you'll be removing the microSD card from the camera and then inserting it into the TV.

This is a good way to avoid compatibility issues. Just cut straight to the source.

connect gopro to tv rca sdcard

5. Composite (RCA) Cable: GoPro to TV

If you have an old TV without an HDMI port and an older GoPro model, you can connect via a composite, or RCA, cable. These are the three ended cables (one in each of red, yellow, and white) and connect to the same color port in your TV.

These cables aren't commonly used now, but if you're like me, you probably have a couple in your wire box. You do have a wire box, right? If you need an RCA cable, here's one that should do the trick.

What cameras connect via RCA cable? This method will only work with older model GoPros, including Hero3, Hero3+, and Hero4.

Another Way to View GoPro Videos

There is another way to check out your videos. You can easily connect your GoPro to your computer – to view, organize, edit your footage. Having trouble connecting? Here are 5 ways to fix problems.

And there you have it. That's how to view GoPro videos on TV. This isn't to be confused with using your GoPro to film video. For that, you should check out this post about using it as a webcam and for live streaming.

Can My 4K TV Playback GoPro Video in 4K?

Yes, your 4K GoPro video can playback at 4K on your TV. There are some limitations.

What cameras can playback at 4K? Footage from all 4K GoPro cameras can potentially be played back at the same resolution on a TV.

  1. Hero4 Black: If connected via an HDMI cable, your Hero4 Black will render video at a downsampled 1080p even to a 4K TV.
  2. Hero5 Black, Hero6 Black, Hero7 Black: These three cameras can playback at 4K. The live preview (when camera is connected via HDMI) renders at 1080p. While recording, the preview renders at 720p.
  3. Hero8 Black: This model can't connect via HDMI without the additional Media Mod. I've yet to test it – because it haven't receive the Media Mod yet…

No Signal When Outputting with HDMI: 6 Solutions

After connecting your HDMI cable to your camera and TV, it's possible that you won't get a video signal.

Here are a few ways to fix no signal via HDMI:

  1. On your TV, check your Input Channel. Double check which port you plugged the HDMI cable into. Then ensure that you've set your TV input to the same port number.
  2. Camera off before connecting: Before connecting your camera to the HDMI cable, make sure that your camera is turned off. Once connected, then turn on your GoPro.
  3. Try another HDMI cable. It's possible that the first cable was damaged.
  4. Avoid editing in-camera footage: If you have edited the footage on the card, it's possible that your camera can't read or understand the files. To connect via your camera directly, the files must be unchanged and unedited.
  5. Run a software update: Updating the GoPro firmware can restore proper HDMI functions, like playback via HDMI connection.
  6. Try another method: If after trying these solutions, you still can't get a signal, I suggest trying to view footage by using method 2, 3, or 4 in this post. These can bypass your camera completely.
connect gopro to tv hdmi

Your Turn

Have a question? Or maybe a tip to get the most out of your GoPro / TV connection? Let me know below!

You might also enjoy:

Hi, I'm the Author!


0 comments… add one

Leave a Comment
